Edo councilors lock out council boss over bailout fund

Councilors in Egor local government area of Edo State on Monday locked out the council boss, Victor Enobakhare, over non-disclosure of actual amount received from Federal Government’s fund.

The councilors also wanted to know what accrued to the council coffers through Internally Generated Revenue and actual cost of running the council and payment of outstanding salaries.

Sources said the councilors barricaded the gate and prevented Enobakhare from gaining access into the secretariat.

When our reporter visited the council secretariat, workers were seen in their offices and only three councilors were at their offices.

The Secretary to the local government, Joshua Uwagboe, said only three councilors participated in the protest.

Joshua said the councilors wanted immediate explanation from the chairman, but the chairman told the aggrieved councilors that standing at the gate was not the proper way to seek clarifications on any issue.

“Three of them said they have some information about IGR, their salaries and many other issues. They said they wanted the chairman to answer them. We believe that standing in front of the gate was not the right thing.”

“They are lawmakers, if they want any information, the can invite the chairman. I don’t think they have invited the chairman and he refused to answer. I believe that they were misinformed. There is peace now in the council secretariat.”

On how much was received as bailout fund, Joshua said he was not aware whether any fund had been released.